START TO FINISH: 35 minutes
SERVINGS: 6
Inspired by a traditional Polish snack, these apple-studded pancakes get full, rich flavor from buckwheat flour, warm spices, sour cream and a good dose of vanilla. We liked them made with tart Granny Smith apples, but if you prefer a combination of tart and sweet, use a mix of Granny Smiths and Golden Delicious. We macerated the apples with sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon to boost flavor. Instead of mixing the apples into the batter, we mimicked a blueberry pancake technique, scattering the cubed apple into the poured pancakes.
Don’t prep the apples in advance; the fruit will discolor if left to stand. Dry the drained apples well to keep the pancakes from becoming soggy.
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into rough ¼-inch cubes (3 cups)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
5 tablespoons white sugar, divided
2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided
195 grams (1½ cups) all-purpose flour
70 grams (½ cup) buckwheat flour
2½ teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground allspice
2 large eggs
1½ cups whole milk
1 cup sour cream, divided
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
Grapeseed or other neutral oil, for cooking
Powdered sugar, to serve
Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle position. Set a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet. In a medium bowl, stir together the apples, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of the white sugar and ½ teaspoon of the cinnamon. Set aside.
In a second medium bowl, whisk together both flours, the baking powder, salt, allspice, the remaining 1½ teaspoons cinnamon and the remaining 4 tablespoons white sugar. In a third medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, ½ cup of the sour cream and the vanilla. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and whisk just until the batter is evenly moistened; do not overmix.
Drain the apples and transfer to a paper towel–lined plate; discard the liquid. With additional paper towels, press the apples as dry as possible; return them to the bowl.
Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low until hot, 3 to 4 minutes. Add ½ teaspoon oil to the skillet, then use a wad of paper towels to spread an even film of it over the skillet, wiping out any excess. Using 2 heaping tablespoons of batter per pancake, form 3 pancakes in the pan, using the back of a spoon to spread each into a 4-inch round. Working quickly, scatter about 1 heaping tablespoon of apple cubes onto each and gently press into the batter.
Cook until the edges begin to look set and the bottoms are golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes; lower the heat if they brown too quickly. Using a wide spatula, flip each pancake and cook until the second sides are well browned, another 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the pancakes apple-side down to the wire rack. Repeat with the remaining batter, coating the skillet with oil for each batch.
Place the baking sheet with the pancakes in the oven and heat until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to plates. Put a spoonful of powdered sugar in a fine mesh strainer and lightly dust the pancakes. Serve warm, with the remaining ½ cup sour cream on the side.